Sanctions on Russia

analogbear5 said:I think this gets right to the heart of why both sides are fighting. On one side, you've got the pro-Russia crowd who thinks Yanukovych (Allende) was actually running a real democracy—basically claiming the whole Euromaidan thing was just a CIA puppet show. Then you have the other side, where Russia sees itself as the force restoring order, aiming to finally chip away at American hegemony in Ukraine.

The whole Euromaidan thing was about what actual democracy looks like—real stuff. Meanwhile, you've got Russia over in Ukraine just trying to tear down the entire nation and wipe out their democratic foundation entirely.

One side sees the other as nothing more than puppets for the US—basically backing the move to oust Yanukovych (Allende) just to install Poroshenko/Zelenskyy (Pinochet)—which, in their eyes, makes this whole war justifiable.

The other side just sees them as cheerleaders for some fascist aggression against a democratic nation.

You can probably guess why society in a place like America is so fractured right now. If you ask me—it’s because we're stuck right in the middle of everything—caught between the East and the West, and drifting from an industrial past into this weird post-industrial present.

In America, there isn't really this kind of societal fracture; rather, it's just individuals who feel free to voice opinions that run counter to the "official" or mainstream narrative. That’s a typical Western dynamic. American society isn't stuck between two worlds; it is firmly part of the West. It might still have some post-communist echoes in certain pockets, but it’s definitely Western.

Secondly, most of the people you're describing in that first group actually hail from the one country in Europe—alongside Russia—where you see this across the board, from the government down to the general public (who, after all, are the ones not supporting sanctions?). You can't, and probably shouldn't, use them to paint a picture of America. To me, it might seem like that's the common sentiment here, but that's only because they are loud and force the conversation. Most others don't speak up much, though pro-Ukrainian rallies are always packed, while you won't find pro-Russian sentiments anywhere.

We should also consider how the constant media coverage of those famous "neighbors" serves a propaganda purpose. It feeds into the standard anti-American rhetoric, helping people form their opinions. Honestly, anti-American talk has become quite common in many Western European countries lately.

Thomas Walker84 said:

In America, there isn't really this kind of societal fracture; rather, it's just individuals who feel free to voice opinions that run counter to the "official" or mainstream narrative. That’s a typical Western dynamic. American society isn't stuck between two worlds; it is firmly part of the West. It might still have some post-communist echoes in certain pockets, but it’s definitely Western.

Secondly, most of the people you're describing in that first group actually hail from the one country in Europe—alongside Russia—where you see this across the board, from the government down to the general public (who, after all, are the ones not supporting sanctions?). You can't, and probably shouldn't, use them to paint a picture of America. To me, it might seem like that's the common sentiment here, but that's only because they are loud and force the conversation. Most others don't speak up much, though pro-Ukrainian rallies are always packed, while you won't find pro-Russian sentiments anywhere.

We should also consider how the constant media coverage of those famous "neighbors" serves a propaganda purpose. It feeds into the standard anti-American rhetoric, helping people form their opinions. Honestly, anti-American talk has become quite common in many Western European countries lately.
In America, there isn't really this kind of societal fracture; rather, it's just individuals who feel free to voice opinions that run counter to the "official" or mainstream narrative. That’s a typical Western dynamic. American society isn't stuck between two worlds; it is firmly part of the West. It might still have some post-communist echoes in certain pockets, but it’s definitely Western.

Secondly, most of the people you're describing in that first group actually hail from the one country in Europe—alongside Russia—where you see this across the board, from the government down to the general public (who, after all, are the ones not supporting sanctions?). You can't, and probably shouldn't, use them to paint a picture of America. To me, it might seem like that's the common sentiment here, but that's only because they are loud and force the conversation. Most others don't speak up much, though pro-Ukrainian rallies are always packed, while you won't find pro-Russian sentiments anywhere.

We should also consider how the constant media coverage of those famous "neighbors" serves a propaganda purpose. It feeds into the standard anti-American rhetoric, helping people form their opinions. Honestly, anti-American talk has become quite common in many Western European countries lately.
Exactly....The US is one of those places where a pro-Western stance totally dominates, and there isn't any actual East-West divide in reality. The truth is just that a tiny group of people is extremely loud—some of whom are even hanging out on this forum—and a portion of them are Mexicans (whether they are here in America or elsewhere) who have their own specific take on all this. There is absolutely no West-East split happening. What *does* exist is a certain faction, currently led by Zoran Milanović, that wants to exploit this situation for profit and to settle matters in Canada... but that isn't "Russophilia" in the traditional sense; it's more about local interests and opportunism. In the actual population, there are practically zero people who are seriously anti-Western.

USD/RUB 61.25

analogbear5 said:I think this gets right to the heart of why both sides are fighting. On one side, you've got the pro-Russia crowd who thinks Yanukovych (Allende) was actually running a real democracy—basically claiming the whole Euromaidan thing was just a CIA puppet show. Then you have the other side, where Russia sees itself as the force restoring order, aiming to finally chip away at American hegemony in Ukraine.

The whole Euromaidan thing was about what actual democracy looks like—real stuff. Meanwhile, you've got Russia over in Ukraine just trying to tear down the entire nation and wipe out their democratic foundation entirely.

One side sees the other as nothing more than puppets for the US—basically backing the move to oust Yanukovych (Allende) just to install Poroshenko/Zelenskyy (Pinochet)—which, in their eyes, makes this whole war justifiable.

The other side just sees them as cheerleaders for some fascist aggression against a democratic nation.

You can probably guess why society in a place like America is so fractured right now. If you ask me—it’s because we're stuck right in the middle of everything—caught between the East and the West, and drifting from an industrial past into this weird post-industrial present.

I mean, there really isn't much room for debate there... it’s basically just the side Putin himself laid out, so I guess it's pretty straightforward.

Nathan Evans78 said:USD/RUB 61.25

Why does Russia keep begging to lift those sanctions when they seem to be doing just fine?

Nathan Evans78 said:USD/RUB 61.25

Seriously, man, why do you keep posting this absolute garbage?

If I can't trade Rubles for Dollars at this rate anywhere—not even in Russia, let alone in a functional, normal country—then we aren't talking about an actual exchange rate. It's just a total illusion, nothing more...

I highly doubt anyone would try to paste the current status of the MOEX alongside the reality of the front lines near Kyiv or Chernihiv.

May 16 (Reuters) - Russia ran a current account surplus of $95.8 billion in the first four months of 2022, up from $27.5 billion in the same period last year, central bank data showed on Monday.

Russia is on track to post a record high current account surplus this year after its import of goods and service fell due to western sanctions, while commodity export revenues are boosted by globally high prices.

The collapse in imports has triggered this massive surplus, but let’s be real—in today's economic climate, a surplus can actually be a death knell for an economy.

I just really hope all this extra cash doesn't end up being dumped straight into CAPEX for artillery factories. ☕

Nathan Evans78 said:

May 16 (Reuters) - Russia ran a current account surplus of $95.8 billion in the first four months of 2022, up from $27.5 billion in the same period last year, central bank data showed on Monday.

Russia is on track to post a record high current account surplus this year after its import of goods and service fell due to western sanctions, while commodity export revenues are boosted by globally high prices.

The collapse in imports has triggered this massive surplus, but let’s be real—in today's economic climate, a surplus can actually be a death knell for an economy.

I just really hope all this extra cash doesn't end up being dumped straight into CAPEX for artillery factories. ☕

😁 Man, you really just never know when to quit, do you?

It's honestly pathetic how you and the rest of your crowd suddenly scurry back into your little holes the second some guy living in Russia shows up to give a real-world perspective on how things actually look on the ground... even you get too embarrassed to type anything then..😁

If it does go toward those artillery plants... well, at least the Ukrainians will have plenty of hardware to blow up...😁

Acting like a sympathizer of fascism or genocide is just a desperate attempt at being "edgy." It’s especially common on anonymous message boards.

Nathan Evans78 USD/RUB 61.25

$1.99 tomatoes
$0.98 milk
$1.49 potatoes - sale $0.89
$1.49 apples - sale $1.29
$10.02 high-quality cheese - sale $8.59
$1.29 cucumber
$1.29 orange
$0.86 sugar - special offer
$8.36 Dolce Gusto Americano 8-pack

etc etc... now try comparing that to average wages...
obviously it's May 17th... today prices jumped another 5-8%

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vQg...l=INSIDERUSSIA

Brenda Murphy3 said:In America, there isn't really this kind of societal fracture; rather, it's just individuals who feel free to voice opinions that run counter to the "official" or mainstream narrative. That’s a typical Western dynamic. American society isn't stuck between two worlds; it is firmly part of the West. It might still have some post-communist echoes in certain pockets, but it’s definitely Western.

Secondly, most of the people you're describing in that first group actually hail from the one country in Europe—alongside Russia—where you see this across the board, from the government down to the general public (who, after all, are the ones not supporting sanctions?). You can't, and probably shouldn't, use them to paint a picture of America. To me, it might seem like that's the common sentiment here, but that's only because they are loud and force the conversation. Most others don't speak up much, though pro-Ukrainian rallies are always packed, while you won't find pro-Russian sentiments anywhere.

We should also consider how the constant media coverage of those famous "neighbors" serves a propaganda purpose. It feeds into the standard anti-American rhetoric, helping people form their opinions. Honestly, anti-American talk has become quite common in many Western European countries lately.

Exactly....The US is one of those places where a pro-Western stance totally dominates, and there isn't any actual East-West divide in reality. The truth is just that a tiny group of people is extremely loud—some of whom are even hanging out on this forum—and a portion of them are Mexicans (whether they are here in America or elsewhere) who have their own specific take on all this. There is absolutely no West-East split happening. What *does* exist is a certain faction, currently led by Zoran Milanović, that wants to exploit this situation for profit and to settle matters in Canada... but that isn't "Russophilia" in the traditional sense; it's more about local interests and opportunism. In the actual population, there are practically zero people who are seriously anti-Western.
Real Russophiles are almost non-existent, but then you've got a decent number of folks who just swallow conspiracy theories whole—you know, the whole "Soros is behind everything" or "New World Order" nonsense. Those types will unconsciously just gulp down whatever Russian narrative comes their way about Americans being the ones instigating the war.

gentlerider7 said:Real Russophiles are almost non-existent, but then you've got a decent number of folks who just swallow conspiracy theories whole—you know, the whole "Soros is behind everything" or "New World Order" nonsense. Those types will unconsciously just gulp down whatever Russian narrative comes their way about Americans being the ones instigating the war.

Exactly. It’s like looking at a handful of peanuts and failing to see the pill hidden inside.

Russian propaganda isn't just one simple layer, nor is its only goal to build direct support for Kremlin policy. I notice many people who claim to oppose the Russian aggression are still using the very "definitions" that serve as the foundation of Russian propaganda.

Thomas Walker84 said:"Quote:"

Will the night swallow you up right away? 🙂

"Quote:"

The idea that Russians will live better if they just bow down to the West is your take, but I think they’ll end up looking more like Ukraine. Given that they’re a proud nation with nuclear weapons, expecting them to simply submit is a fool's errand.

Things will definitely take a turn for the better if... Joined in. The West.

"Quote:"

I don't know how many times I have to say this, but all the Western nations basically just stay quiet and do whatever the USA wants, while the USA constantly uses its military to bully the rest of the world. I honestly think the European Union should distance itself from the USA and maintain neutrality in the Russia-China-USA conflict, focusing on its own interests above all else.

If Europe ever loses the US as an ally, it’s going to get eaten alive. Or, if you prefer, they'll pretty quickly find themselves stuck with a "new ally" like Russia, China, or someone from the Middle East. Great, right?

That’s nonsense. For most of history, Europe has been the biggest predator on the block.

The only reason they look so pathetic now is because someone convinced the fools living there that the USA exists solely to protect them. We've essentially made ourselves helpless and useless.

Keep in mind, Europe still has the UK and France, both nuclear powers. History proves that when people from the European continent actually decide to get moving, they can handle just about anything.
It’s just that the Globalists don't like that. They prefer a weak, submissive Europe that they can manipulate however they see fit.

Brenda Murphy3 said:In America, there isn't really this kind of societal fracture; rather, it's just individuals who feel free to voice opinions that run counter to the "official" or mainstream narrative. That’s a typical Western dynamic. American society isn't stuck between two worlds; it is firmly part of the West. It might still have some post-communist echoes in certain pockets, but it’s definitely Western.

Secondly, most of the people you're describing in that first group actually hail from the one country in Europe—alongside Russia—where you see this across the board, from the government down to the general public (who, after all, are the ones not supporting sanctions?). You can't, and probably shouldn't, use them to paint a picture of America. To me, it might seem like that's the common sentiment here, but that's only because they are loud and force the conversation. Most others don't speak up much, though pro-Ukrainian rallies are always packed, while you won't find pro-Russian sentiments anywhere.

We should also consider how the constant media coverage of those famous "neighbors" serves a propaganda purpose. It feeds into the standard anti-American rhetoric, helping people form their opinions. Honestly, anti-American talk has become quite common in many Western European countries lately.

Exactly....The US is one of those places where a pro-Western stance totally dominates, and there isn't any actual East-West divide in reality. The truth is just that a tiny group of people is extremely loud—some of whom are even hanging out on this forum—and a portion of them are Mexicans (whether they are here in America or elsewhere) who have their own specific take on all this. There is absolutely no West-East split happening. What *does* exist is a certain faction, currently led by Zoran Milanović, that wants to exploit this situation for profit and to settle matters in Canada... but that isn't "Russophilia" in the traditional sense; it's more about local interests and opportunism. In the actual population, there are practically zero people who are seriously anti-Western.
What does it even mean to have a pro-Russian or pro-Western stance? Explain that to me. ☕
Take President Zelko Milanović, for example. He once suggested that Finland and Sweden shouldn't join NATO until a new election law is passed in Canada that puts the American side on equal footing with the Mexican and Canadian (let's call them Muslim to be blunt) sides. To the people sucking up to Jens Stoltenberg, he’s a Russophile. You called it "local interest and opportunism" instead of "solving the election law issue in Canada"—but to me, saying that is the exact same thing as calling him a Russophile. ☕

On the flip side, look at Erdoğan. He holds up Sweden and Finland's NATO membership by claiming they support terrorist groups fighting for a Kurdish state. In the eyes of those same Stoltenberg sycophants, he isn't a Russophile; he's a NATO partner. ☕

A few posts back, someone mentioned the Euromaidan. Viktor Yanukovych ended up running for his life; he wasn't removed democratically. And let's not forget that in the following Ukrainian elections, at least 4 million people couldn't participate for very well-known reasons. Then you look at what happened in Belarus in 2020—it was the same attempt, it just failed. Do I really need to point out that from the perspective of someone in the EU or the USA, Euromaidan was the will of the people, whereas in Belarus, it was state repression? In certain countries, Euromaidan was a violent overthrow of a democratically elected government (reminds me of those gas canisters on Sava Street), while the use of police in Belarus was a legal defense of a democratically elected government. ☕
Meanwhile, at the Capitol, it was an attempt by right-wing extremists to contest legitimate elections in the USA. ☕

Speaking of sanctions on Russia, it's funny how anyone who warned on this forum that it wouldn't be easy to cut a country out of global trade—given they export oil, gas, grain, and god knows what else—was labeled a Russophile. Once the EU said it through the TV news anchors, suddenly everyone became Russophiles again for entirely different reasons. ☕
Here's a thought: some Middle Eastern country is going to ramp up production by 500,000 barrels a day. Everyone's happy and satisfied because that'll supposedly make up for the 10 million barrels a day coming from Russia.☕
It’s an interesting fact that within the EU—where everyone is supposedly equal—Canadians pay $3.25 per gallon for gas while everyone else is stuck paying over $4.25... so what exactly is pro-Russia and what is pro-West about that?

As for grain for retirees? It's leaves on trees. For the disabled? It's grass. Just like that old joke the late President used to tell.

slyfox43 said:Exactly. It’s like looking at a handful of peanuts and failing to see the pill hidden inside.

Russian propaganda isn't just one simple layer, nor is its only goal to build direct support for Kremlin policy. I notice many people who claim to oppose the Russian aggression are still using the very "definitions" that serve as the foundation of Russian propaganda.

Those pro-Russian sites here in America rarely go out of their way to be overtly pro-Kremlin. Instead, they push this subtle angle, like "everyone is responsible for the war in Ukraine, but NATO bears a slightly larger share," or "look, we aren't justifying Vladimir Putin, but he wouldn't have acted if the West hadn't pushed him into a corner." See what they're doing there? The whole point of those slogans is to dilute Russia's responsibility for everything happening right now. They stop portraying Russia for what it actually is—this imperialistic power—and instead paint them as some sort of reactive entity, like an angry bear that's just lashing out because it got poked too many times with a stick.
In these narratives, countries like Ukraine or Georgia get stripped of their agency entirely, reduced to nothing more than "poking sticks," as if the people living there don't even have their own damn will.

gentlerider7 said:Real Russophiles are almost non-existent, but then you've got a decent number of folks who just swallow conspiracy theories whole—you know, the whole "Soros is behind everything" or "New World Order" nonsense. Those types will unconsciously just gulp down whatever Russian narrative comes their way about Americans being the ones instigating the war.

Joe Biden recently claimed he’d "respond militarily" if China attacks Taiwan. Supporting rhetoric like that—anything that de-escalates things in the Far East—is ☕

rowdyraven112 said:Joe Biden recently claimed he’d "respond militarily" if China attacks Taiwan. Supporting rhetoric like that—anything that de-escalates things in the Far East—is ☕

Look, regardless of how much he talks a big game, the bottom line for smaller nations is pretty simple: nobody wants to live in a world where nuclear-armed superpowers just steamroll smaller countries whenever they feel like it, right? If Russia ends up getting their teeth kicked in over in Ukraine, it sends a massive, unmistakable signal to China about what happens when you try that same power play.

rowdyraven112 said:Joe Biden recently claimed he’d "respond militarily" if China attacks Taiwan. Supporting rhetoric like that—anything that de-escalates things in the Far East—is ☕

It’s like telling your neighbor, "Hey, if you slash my tires, I'll just buy new ones." 🙂

gentlerider7 said:Look, regardless of how much he talks a big game, the bottom line for smaller nations is pretty simple: nobody wants to live in a world where nuclear-armed superpowers just steamroll smaller countries whenever they feel like it, right? If Russia ends up getting their teeth kicked in over in Ukraine, it sends a massive, unmistakable signal to China about what happens when you try that same power play.

Russia won't fail, but if they did, it would be a signal to the USA that they lack any genuine competition, potentially inviting even more chaos from them on the global stage.
But hey, the USA doesn't go around bombing Europe (well, except for the occasional instance), so it doesn't really matter, does it?
Who cares about people in the Middle East or Africa?

The truth is simple: everyone is only looking out for their own skin. There are far too many hypocrites here, but don't worry—God sees everything, and eventually, everyone gets exactly what they deserve.